Never Invite An Ex To Your Wedding

Rose walked slowly down the asile, her eyes already stained with tears. There he was. Her knight in shining armor. Her soon-to-be-husband. Just a little while longer.

"You sure you can do this, Rosie?" Ron whispered.

"Yeah Dad, I am."

He let go of her arm and she stepped up, joining hands with Arnold.

"Rosie…" He said, but his voice failed him. His eyes were staring at her like a lovesick puppy dog and she had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. They were in the middle of their wedding. She was his forever. Did he really need to gawp at her like that now?

She glanced out into the crowd of wizards staring up at her while the minister started to speak.

There were her parents of course, and the rest of her family. They took up most of the space on her side. And on his there was his big family. Of course she knew what she was getting herself into. Holidays would be a madhouse. Both coming from big familys? Sometimes she wished she could just settle down and have one kid, one family. Only a few small people.

Peaceful.

But not with Arnold. That would never happen with Arnold.

And Rose was no different. Maybe he wished the same thing, but he wasn't thinking about that now was he?

She'd be happy with him and their big family. Because she loved him.

Didn't she?

Of course she did.

She glanced behind him. There was the one who had introduced him.

Scorpius Malfoy.

At the time he had been her best friend, they did everything together. So obviously he'd introduce her to his friend he'd met over the summer when she'd come to visit. But that year at Hogwarts, she and Scorpius had started dating. Neither of their families liked that, and since family was so important to Rose (even if the hugeness was an absolute burden) they'd eventually broken up.

After that she'd promised herself that she'd never love anyone the way she loved Scorpius. And she never did. Because Arnold was a different kind of love.

But it was still strong.

Wasn't it?

"I love you, Rosie Weasley," Arnold said.

She gazed at him.

"Your turn, Rosie. It's your turn for the vows," he encouraged.

Her eyes filled even more with the salty tears as she began to recite them.

"Um, okay. Well, ever since, wait, no," She was blanking. No! How could she blank on her wedding vows?! She was supposed to remember these forever!

"Rosie?" Arnold asked.

She wished he'd stop calling her that. Her name was Rose. Only Ron and Scorpius could call her that.

Only the men she truly loved.

That was it. She didn't love him! How could she? She'd had the best thing in the world and she'd let it slip away!

She'd let her Scorp slip away.

"I'm so sorry," she mumbled, taking off down the aisle while trying to wipe the tears off her cheeks and just get out of there as soon as she could.

She wanted to turn around and hug him. And kiss him. And be his forever.

But she couldn't. No. He'd gotten over her. He probably had a girlfriend now, and had totally forgotten old Rosie from his childhood days. He was only here because of Arnold anyway.

In the gardens she found a stone white bench, which she collapsed on. Collapsed and cried. And cried. And cried.

"Rosie?" His voice was there. It was like poison. Poison poured over an already burning wound.

"Don't call me that!"

She didn't love him. She hated him. That was the passion she'd felt the entire time, she'd just been confused. She and Scorpius had broken up and Arnold had been right there. He'd been convienent. But then she'd kept going to see him. And when she thought she loved him she really didn't.

She hated him because every time she saw his face it reminded her of Scorpius.

"What?"

"Just stay away from me!"

"Why, Rosie?"

"Because it's too hard!"

"What is, getting married?" No, she'd meant looking at him. "Because Rosie, don't worry, you're not alone. I'm scared to my wits end.

"Rosie?" It was her Father's voice now.

"Dad?"

"Arnold, give us a minute…"

She turned to see him scampering off and her Father looking at her with hurt eyes.

"Rosie, what happened back there?"

"What?"

"You just stopped. And then you were running. What is it princess?"

"It's just I think I may be making the biggest mistake of my life."

"Are you really? Or is it just the nerves. When I married your Mum I thought back to how much I used to hate her and I almost chickened out, but then I remembered that I loved her now, and that was all that mattered. Rosie, the past doesn't matter. It's only now. Now and the future. But you can think of that later. Are you happy now?"

"No…"

"Before the wedding started?"

"Yes!" She cried, standing up. "Yes Dad, I was!"

"And who made you happy? It was Arnold wasn't it?"

Well it was the excitement of her special day actually. And all the guests. Her relatives, her best friends.

Her mind had even flashed to Scorpius.

"So are you going to get married?"

"Yes, Dad, yes!" She cried, hugging him tightly around the neck. "I love you, Daddy, thank you so much!" She clutched tighter, then suddenly let go and rushed back to the set up where Arnold was waiting.

"I love you!" She screamed, this time running down the asile and into his arms. "I love you, Scorpius," she whispered, hugging him tight, her eyes shut hard.

Everyone gasped. She opened her eyes to see him. His beautiful grey eyes gleaming, and wide, a smile tickled the edge of his lips.

"What was that, Rosie?"

"I love Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy," She said, loudly and clearly, undoing her hands and standing up straight. "And I hate you, Arnold. I hate you with a firey passion, she go straight to hell and I'll see you there, but for now, good-bye," She said, smooting her hands over her beautiful white dress and walking proudly down the asile.

"Rosie, wait!" There was a voice calling behind her. But she didn't shake in agony and anger at hearing it. All her senses sung.

"I love you too." It said.

But this was impossible. It was years later, he'd surely gotten over her. Hated her by now.

"I love you too, and that a few minutes ago, it scared me half to death. I thought I'd never again be able to feel the way I do without feeling like an inappropriate, immature, prick."

She turned around to look at him. He was standing in the middle of the asile looking straight at her, his hand outstretched.

"I love you Rosie."

She smiled an all around smile. A real smile that she hadn't had at all while she was with Arnold.

One she hadn't had since Scorpius.

Only he could provoke it.

She reached out and took his hand firmly in her own.

"Look, I know this isn't a good time to ask, but, will you marry me?" He asked her, kneeling down to one knee while still holding her hand.

"Oh Scorpius!" He let go and reached to the floor to pick up one of the Rose petals lying on the floor. He placed it lightly in her hand. She smiled brightly.

Then he reached and picked another flower off the floor. But this was a wild flower. Her reached into his pocket and with a wave of his wand fastened it into a small ring made of a flower.

"What do you say, Rosie?" He stood up and held out his palm, holding the makeshift ring.

"Yes!" He placed it on her finger, tossing the other away and into the grass.

He certainly still knew how to charm her. He didn't need fancy restaurants and beautiful expensive rings like Arnold. He only needed him and her, and anything else he felt he could use to his advantage that would make her positively felt.

It was perfect. Even though he had money, he didn't need it.

"NOO!" Arnold screamed, trying to break apart their embrace. But he was too late. Scorpius had already captured her lips in his own.